Survivors of the Outbreak
by Goonie-Gal
Summary: The terrorists had a, plan and plenty of people. Their target: a high school. What they forgot to take into account, is that this school has survivors of the virus outbreak. In other words… these kids can shoot. And two particular kids usually don't miss
1. Chapter 1

(This is before the virus is cured, and the infected are still the main danger. They still haven't seen any people other than the infected. It gives a little background on the two soon-to-be students of the high school. Don't worry, we'll get to the main conflict soon!)

The sun was just peeking over the tops of the skyscrapers, spilling New York city with a orange light. He had one hour left. One hour to find his daughter, and get back to safety. He pushed hard on the pedal, screeching the tires of a Ford truck down an empty Main street. He sped over the maintenance ignored roads, which was now growing weeds and grass over the past five years. His sharp eyes scanned the streets expertly, one hand on the steering wheel, one hand on his rifle next to him. Max, a black and brown cow dog sat in the back, looking out the window as well, had his ears perked up, waiting for something to happen. He knew where he had to look. The pier. She was always there, waiting for anything to come over the radio other then the fuzz and mess of sounds.

He moved his eyes again to the sun… he was losing precious time. But he was almost there. Just up ahead was the pier. He slammed on the breaks and gripped his gun. He saw the desk at the far end just ahead. Max jumped out and sniffed. He didn't seemed alarmed, so the man moved forward, gun in front.

"Jack?" he called, his voice thin and crisp on the air. No answer… no movement. She wasn't there. Perhaps she had already gone back to the house?

"JACK!!??" he called louder, just to be sure. He had not time to make mistakes, or take risks. Again there was no answer. Max looked anxiously at the man, and finally the man 'tsss' his tongue and Max instantly set to work. His nose to the ground he sniffed. All the way down to the desk with the radio. The radio was off, but it was warm from being on all day. Max gave a scruff. She was here. The man ran back to the car, Max close behind. He revved the engine and shut the door, just as Max jumped in from the window on the other side. He jumped in back and braced himself for the strong peel out. In seconds the man and the dog were back on their way to the house, going sixty on a thirty mile road. But the signs had rusted over long ago.

He set his rifle on the seat next to him, and pulled out his cell phone. He had to keep trying. He dialed his daughters number again. It rang six terrible times, before coming to her voice mail.

_Hey Dad I'm sorry I didn't answer. Please don't freak out. I'll be back by night fall don't worry. Love you. _And then he hung up. He found his way through the streets, to his house. It wasn't that hard to pick out amongst all the other, very similar houses. The only big difference was he had two lines of cars surrounding it, all lined with bombs, trick wires all over the lawn, and a ten foot fence topped with barb wire adding another three feet. Ya… not much different at all.

He jumped out of the car and jogged up the walkway. He twisted the knob and flung the door open, his heart starting to ache.

"Jack?!!" he yelled in the house. He stood there for a few agonizing seconds, with an empty house to answer him. "Max!" Max started sniffed. All up the walkway, the front steps, the door, the entry way… and found nothing. He flipped open the cell phone again and pressed send twice, starting to get dangerously nervous. He put it to his ear. One ring… two ring... he looked at the sun. The gloom began to creep up on the city, filling it with shadows that held a danger he did not want to think about. Three ring… four ring… he looked at Max who was still trying to find a scent of Jack. He had to admit the dog was well trained and a good complain to have at his side… especially in this city. Five ring… Six ring. He was about to hang up, unable to bring himself to hear Jack's calm voice when he was so panicked, when he heard the tone pick up.

"Jack! Where are you! You have less than thirty minutes to get home!!" He said angrily. For a second, no one answered. He waited and listened.

"Who is this?" came an unfamiliar voice. It was slow, and unsure. The man froze. It was not his daughter's voice… far from it. Was it one of the infected? No, they had lost all ability of speech long ago. The voice knew English perfectly well, and knew the meanings of the word. And it was a practical question. It…. It was another human!

"Where's my daughter?" the man asked. It was his first priority. And he had his priority's straight enough.

"She's alive." He said.

"Are you trying to say otherwise?" the dad demanded.

"No… it's… I've haven't seen a human… for a long time…" the voice said, 'You're… you're not one of … of them are you?"

"I'm a survivor… I'm immune. And I'd like my daughter back in less than twenty five minutes." His voice was cold… icy. He did not get a reply for a long time. Every second that went by, was one more second the infected crept closer.

"Where do you live?" the voice seem to snap out of a trance and focus.

"5061 Pine St. Can't miss it." The dad said.

"I'll get her home." Before the dad could ask any further questions, he hung up. The dad looked up at the sun. He had no choice now. He called Max inside and started to close up. He started at the windows and doors on the bottom floor. He closed heavy metal doors six inches thick over the already barred windows. He tucked an installation between the slighted gaps that even paper would have a hard time getting through, shutting off any light that was left from outside. He clamped the metal doors shut with heavy bars and moved his way through the house. When the down stairs was finished, he quickly started the upstairs. He shut them all up with ease, closing the house in a complete darkness. An uneasy one… but safe. And there was a huge difference between the two. He flipped on a few lights, knowing none of It would reach outside, and stood by the front door. He had not latched it yet. The metal casing was still ajar. The dad set a chair in the hallway, facing the front door, a newly loaded automatic in his lap, a gallon tank of bleach on his right, and Max lying on the floor on his left. He did not have to wait long until Max perked his ears up. He did not growl, as he would always if he smelt something was wrong… but he did not wag his tail either, as he did with Jack. He gripped his gun, finger tight on the trigger, the barrel aimed at the door. Max rose to all fours, head down, eyes on the door knob. It twisted slowly, and the door opened. It had become darker then the dad ever remembered it being outside. He only saw a black mess against the night sky. Max, twitched, and the dad stood up, now aiming his gun. Then whatever was in the door way stepped into the light of the house. It was a boy, about the same age as Jack. He wore a black zip up hoody with a skull printed on the front, and jeans ripped at the knees. The hood of his jacket was over his head, his face hidden. In his arms was Jack, limp and head to the side. The dad forgot all reasons of safety, lowered his gun and ran for his daughter.

"Jack!!" He took her off of the boys shoulder, "Jack!"

"She's ok. I think she's just a bit scrapped up from a bike crash." The boy said. Carefully Jack was set on the floor. The dad threw the gun to the side, and pulled a bottle out of his pocket. He snapped it open and dumped the contents on the floor. He picked up one of the white pills and tucked it under Jack's tongue. In a few moments Jack sputtered and her bright blue eyes flashed open. The dad scooped her up in a shaky hug, a tear spewing from the corner of his eye. Jack fell unconscious again, but her dad knew it was going to be ok.

"What… was that you gave her?" the boy asked.

"Her medicine. She was a hour late taking it… but after some rest she'll be fine." He said. He picked her up and brought her to the living room. He set her down on the couch, and picked up a bottle of water. He gave her s sip, before finished shutting up the house. Hopefully she would wake up soon.


	2. Survivors

Jack opened her eyes only a few minutes later. She found herself starring at big brown, worried eyes in a fuzzy face only inches away from her own.

"hey max." she smiled. Max licked her nose and his tail started in a frenzy. Max opened his mouth and panted, a dogish smile on his face.

"Hey Jack." Jack looked up and found her dad smiling down on her. She gave a weak smile back, but then it disappeared when she saw a dark figure behind him.

"Jack, this is the boy that brought you here." Her dad said.

"A… a survivor?" Jack managed to whisper, "I… I thought…"

"Ya… me to." The boy said.

"Oh, jack I'm so glad your home." Dad continued.

"I'm so sorry dad, I fell asleep at the pier… I was riding to fast… I almost hit a baby bird, I think it's wing was broken." Jack said. Her dad gave her a tight hug, and Max managed to squeeze his head in between them. Jack looked back at the boy.

"Thank you." She said. The boy didn't answer. The dad looked at him.

"really, I owe you my life." He said. The boy took a slow breath.

"Your…" his breath was heavy, "Your welcome. It was no… no problem… I told you I would get her home… and…" his voice trailed off and suddenly Max gave a whimper. The boy's swayed on his feet and crumpled to the ground. In doing so, his hoodie fell off. Jack gasped, and Max started to bark uncontrollably. The boy had a nasty gash above his eyebrow, and the blood was dripping down his forehead. The dad was over him in a second. He tore off the jacket and underneath was a blue shirt, the side soaked with blood.

He had been bitten.

"Jack get the first aid and clean up kit. Meet me downstairs quickly." The dad ordered. Jack hesitated for a moment as the dad picked the boy up, his body limp and started for the stairs. Jack started for the pantry instantly. She flung the door open and pulled down the white box with a red cross on it. She put the handle in Max's mouth, who had followed her and said "Bring it to Dad." Max started off across the linoleum with a bit difficulty at a run but soon reached the run and bolted for the stairs. Jack pulled down a few extra bandages and swatches and tucked them under her arm. She then began to dig for a sewing kit and clean up kit. She soon found them and ran after Max. She skipped stairs going down and jumped the last few. Downstairs was cool and the air was thin and crisp. He was a bare room with cement walls and floor and ceiling… the basement. The door was a foot and a half foot thick of metal and had three locks, and six clamps. All down the stairs to the room, were windows, that were now closed off for the night. But when morning broke, they could be opened from inside to let the light in and scare anything off waiting on the stairs. In the room itself it was covered in light eight feet above their heads. They had locked one of… THEM down here before. When it was after Jack, she managed to trap it in here and she turned on the high powered lights. She never went back into the room until her dad came home later that day, and disposed the corpse. She was twelve at the time.

As she came down into the room, the memory came back. But her eyes flashed on the boy and her dad and the memory was pushed aside. Max had delivered the first aid like he was told and her dad had already set to work. The boy was set on a metal table on the far end of the room. Jack dropped off the things and ran back upstairs. She grabbed the gallon of bleach by the door, and a kitchen towel and began to wipe up the trail of blood that lead down to the basement. She wet it down with bleach, glad it was all on the linoleum and not rug. She let it the bleach sit for a few seconds, before wiping that up as well. Then just to be safe. She left the lid open in the hall way, letting the smell of the bleach swarm the house, then ran back downstairs. Her dad had cleaned him up and began to sew up the gash on his side and face.

"Jack… grab the ropes from upstairs… and the chair from my desk."

"The metal one?" Jack asked. He nodded, "Max come." Jack took off up the stairs again. When she came back down. She had the chair in both hands, and Max had the rope. Her dad had finished sewing the gash in his forehead, and started on the side. Jack picked up a clean cloth and started to clean the head wound. She brushed away the soft black hair in his eyes and cleaned up the blood around.

Jack knew what the chair and ropes were for. He had been bitten. They didn't know if he was completely immune, or just from the virus in the air. Being bitten would turn him into one of the infected: an inhuman zombie creature that lost all normal functions. One bite and the virus would spread through his body and he would become one of them in less than a day. Jack knew it was dangerous enough to bring him here. But he had saved her life, and her dad had just finished saying he owed him his life.

"He should wake up in about an hour." Dad said, "We'll leave him down here, tied. I'll stay by the door, and we'll check on him in the morning." He pulled the thread tight and tied if off with ease. His years as a doctor had paid off well in the past few years, and he had taught Jack a lot for being a fourteen year old girl.

"Dad… do you mind if I… stay by the door instead? If he wakes up… I want to thank him." Jack said. Of coarse she had many questions in her mind to ask him. And she wanted to know before the virus took over… if it ever did. Her dad looked up at her, eyes dark, but understanding.

"Sure, I'll set up for you." Her dad said after thinking it over. He left, leaving the room in silence. Jack turned her attention to the boy. The bite on his side was fresh… probably from saving her. The wound on his forehead wasn't a bite… but still nasty. By the looks of it, it wasn't infected. But the bite… she wasn't so sure. Jack pulled the knife from her boot, and cut off the extra thread from sewing up. She did one last clean around it, before wrapping it up nicely. When she was finished her father came back down. He picked the limp body up, and set him on the chair. As he tied the knots, Jack spoke up.

"Dad… what if he get's infected?" Jack asked. Her dad did not stop his task, but kept quiet for a moment.

"Then we take him to the bar outside of town. He should be fine there." Dad said. Jack nodded. As much as they disliked the infected, and knew they weren't human… they would not kill one so cruelly. Jack and her dad were Humans… they had morals.

As her dad finished tying, Jack gave one last look at the boy. She hoped with all her heart he wouldn't get infected. Another person out there that wasn't infected seemed impossible to her just this morning… that they were the last people on earth… literally. She realized he must have thought the same thing. How relieved he must have been to see someone like him, when he had been on his own for so long. She wondered how he had survived all this time, by himself. Maybe he wasn't. Maybe there were more. All this she tended to find out and soon. In less then an hour if her dad was right.

She closed the heavy door behind her leaving the boy in the corner. She found a makeshift bed at the foot of the stairs, and a loaded pistol next to the pillow. Even though they were safe, it didn't hurt to go the extra mile to keep it that way. She sat down on the makeshift bed and only a second later Max flopped down next to her, his head in her lap. She picked up the pistol, and checked the rounds. _Don't get sloppy_ her dad would always say _Don't get lazy. _And she didn't plan on it. Her dad had taught her everything she needed to know to survive out here. She knew the streets by heart… she knew how to drive. Her and her dad had spent three months doing nothing but learning about the car and everything about it. She knew the quickest routes to home, and the routes that would last the longest in the sunlight. She knew the places that were forever in darkness… the nests of the infected. She knew how to avoid those. Her dad had taught her about the radios at the pier, and all about the wires and connections. She knew the stores by heart and her way around their own house. She learned how to replace generators for electricity. She knew how to find different medicines for different things, and knew a lot about the medical field. She knew how to shoot to. And a good shot she was. She favored the rifle for long distance, and kept her pistol loaded and always nearby. Her dad had taught her to always know where the guns were, always know how many bullets were left and where to find more. After shooting so many times for practice… and dangerous experiences, she could hit her mark from three hundred yards away if she had the right gun. They even practiced a few defensive moves. Nothing incredible powerful or effective but enough to gain some ground or time. Her dad kept her in shape and strong. They would run every morning after a big healthy breakfast. Sit up and crunches after lunch and movies, and they were always playing some kind of sport on Sundays. She was very healthy for her age.

She was thinking about some push up right now when she heard a disturbance in the room. Max had perked up ears forward. Jack stood up and peeked in the door. The boy was up and looking around. Jack opened the door all the way and let Max go in first. Max cautiously stepped in and looked around. When he saw the only thing in there was the boy, he trotted in. Jack figured either the boy hadn't turned yet… or wasn't there yet. She walked in. the boy's eyes instantly locked on her, and watched her move across the room. To him it was amazing to see someone move with such grace, and power in each stride. He didn't know weather he was seeing that because she was a strong girl, or if it was because he was used to seeing the Infected and their drunken but meaningful movement. As she approached, he shifted in her chair.

"Sorry about the ropes." She said. The boy starred for a moment, unable to speak. Her voice… a HUMAN voice… with WORDS and on top of that a kind apology. All something he hadn't heard in over two years, and thought he never would.

"No… no it's… it's fine. I understand." He said. He knew he had been bitten. And hard at that. But he also knew he wasn't going to get infected. He was entirely immune… unlike Jared and Kelsey. He had been bitten before, and never turned. But he couldn't just tell these people that. They were just trying to be safe. And weather he told them or not they would leave him tied, and sooner or later find out anyway.

"Are you hungry?" Jack asked, after shifting on her feet. The conversation made her feel odd. She hadn't spoken to another human in such a long time other then her father. She didn't have the social skills she had before the bridge blew up… and the virus was released.

"No." the boy said after thinking the same thing. He wasn't hungry. If anything he felt sick.

"Well, you need to eat. You lost some blood, and whether it a lot or a little it's dangerous." She said. The boy hadn't stopped looking at her, and she him. They were both fascinated for the fact they were speaking to each other. It was like a fairy tale story that came true.

The boy listened to her words, and knew she was right. Loosing a lot of blood is dangerous to the point of death. Loosing a little was dangerous to the point where it attracted the infected… and then death.

"How long have I been out?" he asked.

"About ten minutes." She answered. Suddenly all his senses came back. He had been bleeding… he probably left a trail of blood everywhere. And where ever they clean him up was probably covered in blood as well. And where were they? Was it safe? Had they locked up? He had seen lights when he came in… those would attract the infected as well.

"Are we safe here? There's no blood right? Did you clean up?" His words were rushed, and Jack barely caught them all.

"Yes. My dad locked up and the trail of blood is cleaned. Not a spot of blood for miles around. And yes we are perfectly safe in here." She said. The boy looked impressed almost. They had cleaned up the blood, locked an entire house up, cleaned HIM up and went to bed all in less than ten minutes. They were good. The boy let his muscles relax. It felt good to relax like that. Let his muscles loose, and he realized he was sore from being to tense for so long.

"What's your name?" the girl asked. The boy looked up again. For a moment, he didn't remember, but then he spoke.

"Trevor." He said.

"I'm Jack." She said back, "And I'll be but a minute with some food. Max, watch him." She said as she left. Max, the beautiful cow dog, looked at Trevor and then plopped down, eyes on him. Soon she came back down with a soda and a plate of diced potatoes and a slice of meat. It smelled delicious with all the seasonings. She set it down on the table and set to work on his ropes.

"What are you doing?" He asked as she untied him.

"I ain't gonna hand feed you, and if you start turning, you'll stop eating. You'll loose control of your muscles for a few minutes, and if that happens it'll be plenty of time for me to tie you up again." She said, "Just eat quick." Trevor pulled his hands around and looked at her. She was taking a risk, but she had it planned out.

"Well go on!" she urged. Trevor stepped up to the table and began to eat. He ate it quickly and soon there was nothing left on the plate other then sauce from the steak. As he finished up he realized the girl and the dog had been watching him closely the entire time. He noticed she held the pistol at her side at all times. Finally he set down his fork and sat back down on the chair. Jack pulled the ropes back on and had them tied in a smart tight knot quicker than any boy scout had ever wished he could. Then she stood back.

"There, food feels good in your stomach doesn't it?" Jack asked. Trevor nodded, still watching her. "So where did you come from?"

"Maine." He answered.

"Maine? That's a long ways off ain't it? And a lot of camping on the ground at night."

"It wasn't two hard one you knew how to sleep in trees." He said.

"So you traveled all the way from there to here?"

"yes."

"You must have had a lot of luck on your side."

"And… talent." He answered slowly.

"Where their others with you?" she asked. Trevor pulled his gaze away. Instantly Jack knew what happened. "I'm sorry… I… I didn't mean to pry. It's just, I was hoping there were more of you. More of the immune." Trevor kept his gaze down.

"So did I." he muttered, "Can you loosen the ropes, they're awful tight."

"Nope. You'll be pulling at them if you turn and I'm not risking any loose ropes." She said. Trevor sighed and stopped pulling at them.

"So what about you? You from around here?" he asked. She nodded.

"Me and uh…. My… my parents moved here just before it happened." She said, trying to sound casual.

"Where's your mom?" he asked.

"Pinewood street, right next to the old ice cream shop. We visit her a lot and…" they were interrupted by a sound outside. It was the sound of the infected. They were snooping around the house, although they weren't sure if they smelt blood… or bleach… or both.

"They can't get in." Jack said, seeing the boy's face.

"And if they do, you'll be wrong… and I'll be tied up bait." He said darkly.

"Not while this is loaded." Jack said lifting her pistol, "And it's only not loaded for a few seconds."

"Uh-huh." The boy muttered putting his head down. As much as he understood why they did it, he didn't like it. This house was new to him, he hadn't scoped it out. He had to make sure it was safe for himself. He had to see it personally. Until then, he felt like a sitting duck.

"So why'd you come here?" Jack asked. With his head still down, he shrugged.

"Wanted to get away, had nowhere to go." He said simply. Jack was just starting to get annoyed of his answers. They were just enough to answer, but not enough to figure him out.

"Well fine then." She said heading for the door, "I'll see you in the morning…" she let it hang. As she left Trevor barely caught the words 'I hope' from her before she left with the dog at her heels.

He sighed. So he had found people after all. Kelsey had been right. There were still people out here. He closed his eyes, remembering. He had been outside with Jared when they heard her scream. He shook his head. He didn't need to think of that. He needed to sleep. So he let his head hang and slowly faded of to sleep.


	3. Graveyard

The next morning Jack woke up with Max still asleep next to him. She blinked her eyes open, and pulled the blanket over her head. Ug, she was so tired this morning. She didn't want to get up. Her eyes still felt heavy and her body didn't want to move. Ok, jack, get up, she told herself. But she just closed her eyes and sighed. She had to get up sooner or later and her dad would come down and wake her up if she wasn't already. She took another big sigh and pulled the blankets off over her head. She sat up and reached high over her head to stretch. She was so stiff. Probably from sleeping on the hard floor.

With a jolt she remembered the boy. She turned and starred at the door. Had he turned? Slowly Jack grabbed her pistol, stood up and walked to the door. She put her ear against it and listened. Nothing. She cracked the door open. She blinked. The chair was empty. She took a steady breath to ease her panic and looked around the room before entering. The ropes lay on the floor… in pieces. They were not untied. Jack frowned, and gripped her gun. She ran back out and woke Max up. Max yawned and found Jack's dark face and tight grip on the gun, and immediately become quiet. Slowly they headed up the stairs, the pistol in front. She opened the door at the top, and let Max go through first. They she came out, checked behind the door and started to search the house. As she entered the living room, with Max at her side, she heard a plate in the kitchen. Max froze, Jack cocked her gun and started forward.

As she came in she found the boy sitting at the table a plate of eggs, hashbrowns, and toast in front of him, and her dad was at the stove.

"Dad?" she asked. Her dad turned around and stopped when he saw the gun in front.

"it's ok Jack, he's good. I went and got him this morning." He said, "Good job. I didn't even hear you come up." Jack uncoked her pistol and sat down. Max went over and sat by her Dad's feet.

"You thought I turned?" Trevor asked.

"Can't be to careful." Jack answered.

"That's right." Her dad added, setting a plate full of food in front of her, "Don't get sloppy." Jack smiled at him and picked up her fork.

"The ropes were in pieces…" Jack said.

"That's because I had to cut them. That knot of yours would come apart if it's life depended on it!" Her dad said. Jack shrugged.

"I don't want to get sloppy." Jack said with a smile. She looked at Trevor, he was slowly shoveling around his food, and piling it in his mouth. He eyes were always on her dad, or her, watching them move, watching them eat, or wipe their mouth with a napkin. He watched as they gave the leftovers to Max, washed the dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen. His eyes were intent, grasping every detail, every movement, every breath. It was… NORMAL. All of it was normal. These people were REAL. His pathetically small strand of hope… was real. He wasn't alone.

Jack left the kitchen with Max, and Trevor heard the front door open and close.

"So what's your name?" Jack's Dad asked.

"Trevor." He said.

"Where you from Trevor?"

"Maine."

"That's a long way from here" Dad said, "you travel with anybody…"

"What's your name?" Trevor interrupted.

"Call me Ian."

"Ian, fine."

"We're going to visit my wife today… want to come?" Ian asked. Trevor looked up from the table straight at Ian. He was asking him to come along… to see another human!!

"Yes." Trevor said. Ian nodded, and put the plates away. Jack came back in, Max following behind with an extra bounce in his step as he came.

"Car's ready. Pistol loaded, and I refilled the bleach container in the back seat. Did you take the pistol out of the car cause it's not in there?" Jack asked.

"Yes… it's by the front door. I already reloaded." Ian said. Jack nodded and went off again. This time Max stayed in the kitchen, eyes watching Trevor. As Ian continued to dry the plates and put them away, Trevor focused on the dog. Those big brown eyes were watching him closely, wondering if if he was a person he could trust with his family. Max was a very cautious , and to him, this boy still might be infected. Trevor picked a piece of bacon from his plate, and held it down. Max came trotted up and licked it out of his hand. As he chewed, Trevor ran his hands through his thick fur. Max licked his lips, deciding this particular infected boy could stay as long as the bacon kept coming.

"You like animals?" Ian asked. Trevor jerked back, his chair slightly skidding across the floor. Max jumped back, ears back for a moment. Trevor looked at Ian, who had paused in his drying and was looking back.

"Sorry…" Trevor said, 'I'm… I'm not use to… this. To other people being around." Trevor said. Ian nodded.

"It's alright son, come on let's load up." Ian said, putting the last plate away. Trevor stood up and followed Ian out the door. It was bright and warm outside and Trevor stood there letting the sun warm his skin. The gash on his side stung a little, distracting him for a moment.

"Trevor?" Jack spoke up from the car, "Um… I have a pistol for you, if you'd like." Jack watched as Trevor stood on the front steps, on hand on his side where the gash was. Trevor looked at Jack for a moment, as if he still thought this was a dream… like he was still trying to interpret her words.

"Thanks." Trevor said, and got into the back seat of the car next to Max. Jack handed the gun back to him. "Um… can I have a bullet?"

"What for?" Ian asked.

"There's an empty cartridge in the pistol." Trevor said.

"Did you check it?" Jack asked.

"Un… well… no… it just… feels light." Trevor said. Jack and Ian exchanged looks and Jack took the gun back to look it over. Sure enough, Trevor was right. Jack quickly fixed the problem, avoiding her dad's gaze as he started the car. She handed the gun back as they pulled onto the street.

The drove down the street, and Trevor's eyes scanned the empty, dusty homes, some with broken windows, some to dark to see in. Although it was already quiet, the silence got uneasy as the passed the darker houses or stores. Soon, they left the neighborhood and found themselves driving through downtown. Where the businesses were. Blockbuster was at the corner of the block, next to a Starbucks and Panda Express. The drive was silent other then a sneeze from Max. He could sense the tension between the humans. And he was trying to encourage speech as he suck forward and nudged his head under Trevor's arm. Trevor looked at him, and just started to pet him. Max gave a sigh, as much as a dog could give one, figuring this attention was good enough for him.

Finally they pulled up to a church at the end of a street. They got out, putting their pistols away. Ian and Jack pulled out a big duffle bag each from the back of the car, and shut the trunk. Trevor licked his lips. Jack's eyes were down and Ian's were dark as they walked toward the doors. Trevor followed cautiously, behind Max. Where they going to go inside? Wouldn't it be dark in there? Ian pulled one of the double wooden doors open by it's metal handle. Inside, was not dark at all, but lit up with the morning light, but now shattered into different colors from the stained glass windows that dominated the walls. The pews were crooked, and some knocked over, their cushioned seats dusty and faded. Trevor continued to follow the two down the aisle and around the preacher's stand, that stood empty like the air. It seemed to all be missing the voice of the preacher that always filled evening, crisp air… but now it was drained of it. Ian took a door mostly hidden from anyone that would have sat on the pews. He held open the door, and Jack walked through. Trevor hesitated, gut got a little shove from Max as he pushed past. Trevor followed, and Ian shut the door behind them. It was a hallway, brightly lit from factory lanterns that had sloppily been nailed to the wall all the way down. There were three doors on each side, and then one door at the end. As they walked, Ian and Jack each pulled a new lamp from their bag, and replaced it with an old one on the wall. After making sure it worked, they went to the next one, and then the next. They continued until they got to the last door at the end. Max's nose was pinpoint at the bottom corner of the door where it would open up. He sniffed, and then sneezed, and looked at Ian. He opened the door. Fresh air spilled into the hallway, and they got a whiff of greenery and dirt. One by one they filed out and trotted down the few steps. Now, they stood in a small, area, surrounded by the brick wall of the church that went over three stories up. It was a small, room like area, thought there was no roof save for the sky. Plants, vines, and bushes grew all around the small area, which was about as big as his backyard was in Maine. A large tree grew in the middle, it's branches stretching upwards, trying to grasp the precious light.

Again, Ian and Jack set to work replacing all the lights that lit up the small area. Than, they pulled water canteens from their bags, and began to water all the plants. Jack handed Trevor one. He took it and started to water the flowers in the pots that lined the stairs. When the water was out, they stuffed everything back into their bags, and went to the far end of the small garden.

"Are we safe here?' Trevor asked.

"Ya… we keep the path to this place well lit over night. There's only one way on… and it's not dark." Jack said.

"They won't dare come anywhere near here. It's to bright. The light bulbs are special. They give off a special kind of light that lasts longer then normal." Ian said. Then he unzipped his bag, and pulled out a glass bottle. Inside the bottle was a white rose. He pulled it out… and set it on the ground. Trevor was puzzled for a moment, as Jack did the same. But then he saw, as Ian and Jack began to clear the vines and leaves off of the gravestone. Trevor's eyes darkened and he looked away.

"This is my mom." Jack said quietly. Trevor didn't answer. Max had laid down in between the Ian and Jack, his eyes half closed, his breathing easy. He knew this was a peaceful place, both animal and human had a certain sence of that. Trevor slowly brought his eyes to the grave stone. He saw Ian had his eyes closed his mouth barely open. Jack was just barely moving her lips as she said her prayer. The gravestone itself, wasn't much of a gravestone at all. I was a big flat rock, set on it's side next to the wall. In front of it was a picture of a woman with the same color hair and eyes as Jack. On the rock, written in charcoal, was the name Lana Peirce. Trevor looked below, searching for the date… but just found the words loving mother, perfect wife under it.

He waited patiently as they said their prayer, and then Jack stood up, and dusted off her knees. She gave a smile at Trevor before leaving the garden with Max right behind her. Ian stood up after she left.

"I'm sorry." Trevor said, "I mean… well… I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." Ian answered, his eyes on the picture.

"She's beautiful." Trevor said, looking at the picture as well.

"Yes… a lot like Jack. I see a lot of her in that child. Sometimes my heart aches…" he stopped.

"How… how did she die?" Trevor asked quietly. Ian's face grew dark, and Trevor instantly knew. He didn't answer for a while, trying to decide weather he should answer at all.

"Lana… was doing research at her lab, like she does every week. She stays there two three days at a time. I was going to pick her up and bring her home to have dinner with Jack. When I got there… the lab was in ruins, but she had managed to stay alive. The sun was still up… but barely. Still…We were late…" he finally said. "A bullet hole had pierced the gas tank and we only got halfway home. We ran for the sugar cane factory, where we would take cover in the emergency lights. But we didn't see the nest…" he paused for a moment, his lip quivering. It bit it, and continued.

"Jack… thought she died from her sickness she had gotten a year before. She thought her mother died of a natural cause… a peaceful death…"

"Does she know the truth?" Trevor asked, his eyes pinned to the ground.

"There's a difference between knowing… and admitting my boy… and Jack only knows." Trevor licked his lips, an unhappy look on his face. He only knew to well what that was like.

"Come on. We best be off." Ian headed for the door. Trevor looked at the gravestone. She looked so happy in the picture… so full of life.

"Say hi to Jared and Kelsey for me." He whispered, and then followed Ian out, stuffing his hands in his pockets.


	4. Cure

They all piled into the car and buckled up. Jack had the front seat again, while Trevor and Max took the back.

"We'll stop at the fields… see if we can have corn for dinner tonight. Then we'll try Basque Street and see if the deer are back. We can go hunting." Ian said, putting the car in gear. He started down the street when Jack spoke up.

"Dad look!" She pointed out the window. Ian hit the breaks and looked. There was a small heard of gazelle grazing on the grass that had grown up in the street. Parked cars had been blocked and barricaded, and now stood between them and the gazelle.

"Can you take the shot?" Ian asked. Jack pulled a rifle from under the seat.

"No… the car is in the way…. I could try through the window." Jack said.

"Alright… careful… aim with ease…"

"I know dad." Jack closed one eye, and rested the gun on the window. Trevor was quiet… watching with care. For a moment…. He thought he was looking at Kelsey aiming through the window… and Jared at the wheel, arguing over who had a better shot. Trevor bit his lip and looked away.

BANG!!! The window of the car splatter into pieces. The gazelle flung itself in the air, while the rest took off.

BANG!!! Another shot went off… from the back seat. Jack looked back at Trevor, who was looking at the gazelle, cocking his gun back.

Ian pulled up to the baracade and they got out. They found the gazelle behind the white ford escort, body still, eyes glazed over.

"Your shot got him in the hind leg…." Ian said, seeing the wound in its hunches… "Made it jump pretty high…"

"And then you shot it… without having to worry about the cars being in your way." Jack said. Trevor licked his lips, and got out of the car. He examined the deer, and found that his bullet had been the one that killed the dear.

"You're a good shot with a pistol." Jack said. Trevor looked up and found her smiling. He found himself smiling back.

"I try." He said.

"Well, good, our hunting is done! I'm going to the pier." Jack said, loading her gun again.

"The pier?" Trevor repeated. Jack smiled.

"Come on, I'll show you." She said.

The rest of the day Jack and Trevor spent at the pier. They had the radio on and Jack continued to check the batteries. Max went with them, and brought along his ball, for he knew there would be plenty of time for Jack to throw it for him. Over the weeks, Jack and Trevor became good friends, almost brother and sister. Ian had come to the point where he trusted Trevor with his life. For in one incident, Max had scared a deer from the shadows, along with one of the infected, which in the next instant leapt at Ian. Ian would have been a goner… lost to the disease forever, if Trevor hadn't jumped in-between them and taken the hit (and the bit) for him. He was also a very good shot and helped feed the extra mouth while hunting. Jack and Trevor went out frequently to look for ingredients for Ian's work. With the stories they came back with, and the way they communicated with each other while hunting, made Ian realize Trevor was not just any survivor. He was a perfect fit with Jack and it was beyond pure luck that he happened to be the survivor they found. It was more of a miracle.

One day, Jack and Trevor came back from the pier only five hours after being there. Ian was confused at first, and grabbed his gun and met them halfway. The news he was met with made his heart lift. There was voices on the radio. It was the Navy with survivors of the virus. They were on their way there and would take port only 75 miles away from where they stood. They were taking all survivors to a safe haven in the west, where civilization had begun to start over, with great success. They were slowly cleaning the air, and finishing off the virus with a cure that had been found by a refugee in Pennsylvania. The safe haven was slowly expanding across the U.S, and the contry was becoming safe again. Quickly, the three of them ran inside and packed up everything they could. The next morning, as soon as the sun peeked over, they would leave. But tragedy struck before they arrived, and only two people and a dog boarded the U.S.S Remainder the next morning.


	5. Those two kids

The cure has spread. The safe haven has been expanded as far as Florida, and was quickly working it's way up. There had been a surprising amount infected, and a very upsetting amount of survivors. Although there had been a few 'rough patches' where the infected swarmed and there were nests everywhere you looked. These patches had been found in Michigan and Texas, with four patches in Ohio. Lives would have been lost, if the cure had not been with the crews who ventured into these patches. They were the hardest to clear, and sometimes would take months to purify. As the safe haven spread, the crews met their final challenge… New York. Two weeks into it's purification, they announced that the entire state was a rough patch. The news spread across the safe haven like wild fire. They soon fenced off New York and it was now a restricted area with posts every twelve miles. They had lost lives, even with the cure in hand, and announced New York as inaccessible, and they would not attempt any more trips inside. The infected in there were incredibly vicious and were constantly in a rage that wouldn't just infect purifying crews… but wipe them out. The people in safe haven heard of the stories and ambushes of New York, but there was a rumor there actually HAD been survivors in the heart of New York. That the U.S.S Remainder had stopped briefly in New York's port, and allowed two survivors and a dog on board.

The school bell rang. Kids filed out of their classrooms and flooded the hall way filling it with chatter of high school nonsense. Lines began to stretch long as kids filed in to buy lunch at the different tables, cafiteraia or school store. Money was exchanged, food was handed over, and students went on to find friends to sit with and eat. One student found his friends sitting in the senior hall against the wall. He found a seat next to them.

"Yuck! Ham and guagcamole. How is that even attractive?" his friend said seeing the lunch pulled out.

"You got no style, man." He answered back, "You gotta be creative."

"Creative? I can be creative." He pulled apart his PB and J sandwich and dropped some chips inside, before crushing the bread back together, "See? Creativity."

"Heads…" came one of their friends voices who was watching people walk down the hall. They looked at him, then followed his gaze. A girl and a boy were walking down the hall side by side, each a home made lunch in hand. Voices hushed as they went by, and whispers arose after they passed. Everyone watched out of the corner of their eye as they walked down to the end of the hall and disappeared around the corner.

"Gosh those guys scare me." A girl said.

"Why? They're just teenagers."

"Ya… survivors… like the rest of us."

"Huh-uh. I heard THEY'RE the ones who survived New York." She said.

"Oh come on. Two kids? Ya right."

"It makes sence don't it? I mean they don't talk to anyone… they always in the back of class, they avoid every dark place in the school, they aren't related but they come and leave together. And people have hardly heard a word from either of them."

"I heard the girl spoke up when our forensics teacher asked about types of guns were mostly used in murder sences."

"I heard she a drugie."

"Oh come on. That's not true. My friend talked to the girl and she seemed really nice. She helped her out with math and she didn't seem mean at all."

"I've heard it both ways…she's really nice cause she helped someone pick up a pile of papers that they dropped… but beat up a kid who said something nasty."

"I heard that too… but it wasn't the girl… it was the guy."

"even if it wasn't, you don't hear of kids messing with that guy. Whether or not he survived New York… he's gone through some tough stuff and survived… he's got stitches and bit marks to prove it."

"Really? How many? How do you know?"

"P.E. That guy is ripped. He's got like two bites on his left shoulder, one on his arm and one or two on his torso… and a stitches just below the hair line."

"That's crazy… that's kids tough. I think his name is Trevor… and she's Jacklyn."

"I gotta go."

"Where you going? You haven't even started your sandwich."

"I over heard Benny's going to start pinning that girl… during lunch. I've got to try and stop him." He took off as he said his last words. His friends looked at each other, and gathered their lunches and took off after him.

Meanwhile, Trevor and Jack had found a quiet place outside in the shade of a tree. No one was outside, because the school was big and air conditioned. But these two liked the silence and the nature. They didn't say a word to each other and sat down to start their lunch. Trevor had opened his bag and found his normal turkey sandwich, orange, water bottle, bag of chips, cheese-its, and carrots that their mentor always packed. Their mentor, Henry, was one of many mentors that worked for a program that gave guardians for those who had lost their parents in the outbreak. Trevor had just pulled his carrots out, when he felt a cold tickly on the back of his neck. He stopped, and waited, then put his carrots down. He looked up at Jack, feeling her tense and alertness. Her eyes were locked gravely ahead of her, towards the school. Trevor followed her gaze and found that their quiet place was being disrupted by a crowd of people coming out of the school, heading their way, a tall boy leading them. As they came closer, their whispers and steps now audible, they found the boy was a kid named Benny, who happened to be the quarterback on the football team. Both Trevor and Jack knew that meant if things got rough… it would be them against the football team.

Benny didn't waste time as he approached and began with the blame as if to justify the rage and the plan in his eyes. He pointed a finger at Jack, who was on her feet now.

"You talked crap about me, and started some rumors that shouldn't have been started. My girlfriend is NOT pregnant, and I don' take steroids. Now take it back. Prove that they were just rumors." Trevor stood up, and looked Benny straight in the eyes. He already had a count and location of every football player in the crowd. Jack said nothing, but starred with the same amount of rage as Benny.

"Cool it… now you can't just assume she started things like that. If you want to get rid of rumors start with the person who really started them… and don't randomly pick a person to blame." Trevor said calmly. Benny flashed a look at Trevor, his easy tone making Benny shift.

"SHE did." Benny said.

"I can say right now she didn't. She's not like that." Trevor said, "Now step back." It was a order in a cool voice, but the crowd saw the challenge in Trevors eyes that made them all step back a little.

"I'm not lying. She did start it." Benny raged. Trevor didn't see any lie in his eye, so he turned to Jack.

"Jack.. did you start those rumors?" he asked. Jack said nothing for a while, just starring at Benny with a glare that made Benny think over what he came out here to do.

"Yes." Jack answered. Trevor turned back to Benny.

"There you have it. She started them. Now back off." He said. Benny looked at Trevor confused.

"You heard her! She admitted it! She's guilty!!" Benny shouted. Suddenly Trevor's eyes flared and made Benny stop in mid thought and he couldn't move.

"The only reason she would do that is because you did something to offend her… REALLY offend her, which makes me think I should do something worse than start rumors. If you said something to get Jack THAT mad… you really deserve what's coming." Trevor said. The crowd had fallen silent. Benny looked around for his team and found only a few had retreated… and looked back at Trevor to find he hadn't moved his glare from him. Benny found that Trevor wasn't in the least bit frightened… whereas Benny had already thought of four ways to back out of this predicament.

"Look, my fight isn't with you." Benny said trying to think how he could get Trevor to back off.

"Nor is it with your football buddies in the crowd who've been inched forward since they got here." Trevor said. Benny looked at Trevor again, now seriously considering a 'don't do it again' and retreating. But Benny realized a crowd was watching… a big crowd and his reputation was at stake. He looked back at Jack, but Trevor stepped up, making the football players step out of the crowd.

"Benny… don't do it." Trevor said, "We've both been through some tough wraps in the outbreak, and we've both suffered from it. We don't need any more of this. It's inhuman." Benny looked at Trevor now, with the challenge back in his eyes. Trevor realized it would take years for the bad blood to clean out of the generations. They were all use to being rough and mean. They had to… that's why they were survivors. It was then that Trevor realized Benny would do it. He would swing. The team would jump in and it would get ugly and red real fast. Trevor looked at he players that had stepped out. The closest one would be easy to take out in one hit, leaving room to set up for a heavy knock out kick for the big guy a few steps away…

"Leave them out of it." Jack said, "You and me… last one standing has the run and we leave it at that." Trevor flashed a look at Jack. Benny was looked at her to, wondering if that was a good choice.

"You really must of pissed her off." Trevor said.

"Fine." Benny agreed, "but don't think I'm stupid. You've got some skill to back your words. You know it and I know it. I ain't going easy."

"Me either." Muttered Jack. Trevor stepped up to the football players and looked each one in the eye as he spoke.

"I'm gonna tag whoever steps in good and clean. You won't feel a thing until you wake up next week, got it?" he said. The players didn't move, but understood. Trevor turned his back on the crowd and started back for the tree. He gathered both their lunches, stuffing the carrots into his paper bag, along with Jack's lunch as well. He stood up and curled the bag tight, figuring the tennis courts would be the next best spot to eat quietly. Suddenly the crowd gasped. Trevor handed the bag to Jack who had silently slipped up to his side. They walked away leaving Benny bleeding and breathing hard on the ground in the middle of the crowd, his eyes wide, confused and slowly blacking out.


	6. Take Over

They found a quiet place by the tennis courts, and sat against the fence. Trevor was watching Jack the whole way there. She was angry, it was obvious. But even if Jack had done wrong against Benny without a reason, Trevor would still back her up. But what worried him, is that she DID have a reason. They were halfway through their lunch when Jack spoke up.

"Want to know?" she asked. Trevor nodded, taking the last carrot out of his back. Jack sighed, "Maybe it was rude… maybe I was wrong to do that…"

"Jack… you gave up the violence from Outbreak… you don't do MEAN anymore. And suddenly one day you did… he must of really pissed you off, so he deserved it."

"Ya…" Jack said. She looked back at her lunch, and said nothing. A few seconds went by, filled only with Trevor's crunch of carrots, "But you still want to know why…" Trevor nodded again, without looking at her, "He… he was bashing my dad. I'm not saying more then that cause I'll scream." Quickly Jack pulled the chips from her bag and filled her mouth full, concentrating hard on her chewing. Trevor had stopped eating and was looking at Jack. He knew right then, that Jack had held back. That she could have done a lot worse to Benny. She was still angry, and it welled up inside her like a bottle of fire, burning hot and fast. No one spoke badly about her father and got away with it.

After Ian's death, on their way to the ship, Jack had fallen silent. She didn't speak much at all except what few words she needed to, to Trevor. Trevor and Jack didn't need to speak to know what each other were feeling, they could see it in their eyes… and sense it. Words were hardly necessary for these two to communicate. And it was a good thing to, because Jack didn't communicate hardly at all after that day.

She also refused to bring the feelings from when they lived in the Outbreak, back. She refused to fight back to anyone, and wouldn't defend herself even if she was getting ganged up on and knew she could easily win. She wouldn't walk in dark shadows, wouldn't throw a punch, or run when in danger. Trevor overhead the doctors talking about her symptoms, and saw it as I kind of redemption. That maybe if Jack got beaten hard enough, she could forgive herself for not being strong enough to save her father… like getting punched was her punishing herself. Whatever it was, Ian's death had effected her greatly.

It effected Trevor to, as he didn't like to talk about his death either. Although he had been more distraught when his best friend and sister died, Ian was still a big influence in what he was today. Both Trevor and Jack would have been dead, alive and not living if the other hand't been there. They were both each other's hand held out to them, when they thought they couldn't go further.

"Well, you took out Benny in three moves…"

"Two…" Jack corrected, "And I don't want to talk about it." Trevor agreed and continued to eat. Suddenly the bell rang, ringing loud and clear over the field. Trevor looked at his watch.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, feeling Trevor's confusion.

"The bell rang a half hour early… that's strange." He said. He stood up and helped Jack to her feet, "Come on, we'll finish lunch inside."

When they got inside the school, a voice came over the intercom.

"All students report to the gym. Please do not go to your forth hour class. Report to the gym." The voice said. Both Jack and Trevor looked at each other.

"Funny, I don't remember anything about an assembly today." Came a voice that summed up what everyone was talking about. The entire school had gathered from outside and was heading down the main hallway. Jack felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to find Trevor motioning her up the stairs. She followed him up to the second level, where there was only a group or two instead of a crowd. They found their way to the gym and picked the side with less kids around the bleachers. The gym was full of chatter and talk for about five minutes before the teachers all walked in single file, their hands on their heads. The students watched, wondering what was going on. Music wasn't playing, so either they missed their cue for this skit, or it was something else. No one understood what was going on until more men filed in after them, dressed in dark clothes holding guns. Then shouts were heard among students, that if guns weren't allowed in school, why can they bring them. In fact, everyone was wondering what was going on, until two of the men raised their guns and fired off two shots each. Everyone screamed and then ducked. Those bullets were real. The crowd fell silent, everyone suddenly frozen.

"Afternoon everyone. Glad you could make it. I'm taking over this school, in case you didn't get the demonstration a second ago. You should know how this goes. Nobody do anything stupid, and nobody gets hurt. Do what I say, and we'll all leave here happy, alright?" said the man in charge. He was a little shorter then average, but his eyes are what caught everyone attention. They had a look in them that made the kids stop breathing… suddenly frozen where they were. It was the same look the infected had in their eyes before a kill. A bloodthirsty look. A look of being insane, and the will to do anything to make it happen. Everyone recognized it, and those few lucky ones that had never seen the infected kill, felt it. Everyone was suddenly tense.

Everyone at that school had one thing in common: they survived the outbreak. They had seen things, and lived through things that affected their lives both physically and mentally. The outbreak was over, and they thought they were safe. But now this. This terrorist attack on the school. The students knew danger when they saw it… they were stupid. They knew how to stay silent. They knew the consequences. They didn't panic… mostly because it went a lot smoother than it would have if it were the infected taking over. They were alert… watching every move, and suddenly everyone got a dark look on their faces as the survival instincts rose from the depths inside them. Almost half knew how a bullet could make you bleed and the pain it would put you in… and almost all knew how a bullet could instantly kill. It wasn't anything new… yet this event was taking place by one of their OWN. A HUMAN. A bloodthirsty human, yes, but still human.

Jack and Trevor looked at each other. Well that was defiantly one way to take over a school. Just waltz in and announce your taking it over.

"Alright, now, just to ensure you, we're not amatures at this game, I'll clue you in on what might happen if ANY of you try to run. There's motion sensors all over the school. Gas bombs and fire bombs have been placed on all the doors leading outside, so if ONE of you try to open, the whole school blows and we all die. My men have shot people before, and will not hesitate to fire on you. Like I said, just do what I ask and hopefully we'll be out of here by tomorrow morning!"

"Now, if you please listen closely…" the man walked over to the crowd and yanked a boy sitting in the front row, "What's your name?"

"George…" the boy said quietly.

"Well George, can you please tell me what room would be safest in this school? And don't lie because one of my men knows the answer… so you better answer correctly." He said. George's face dropped in horror. Did he know the safest room?

"I… I don't know…" George said.

"that's the wrong answer…." The man started and pulled out his gun.

"Wait!! The stagecraft shop…. It's got two doors… no windows… and plenty to hide behind…" George frantically said, flinching at the tightening grip the man had on his neck.

"Good boy… that's the answer I wanted." The man shoved George forward and he tripped and fell to the ground, "you see? Do what I ask and you'll live. Now, we'll be taking you down to the stage craft room in groups of five… girls first. Four of my men will escort you there. You five, up. Your first." The man pulled the first five off the bleachers… all girls. They were sent to the other side of the gym with three escorts and soon left. Then a new group was made of just boys, and sent in the opposite direction. This went on until there were only a few left in the bleachers. The man in charge began to point out the next five, when another man ran in. Quickly he ran over to the man in charge, and turned his back on the audience, and leaned into his ear.

"Trevor… they're going to separate us." Jack said quietly. Trevor picked up her hand.

"It's ok. This'll all be over by tomorrow. You heard him say it. We'll be just fine." Trevor said. Jack looked up at him.

"I'm not worried about THEM." She said. Trevor squeezed her hand.

"You… you, and you…" the man in charge continued to point the next five out. Jack was one of them. She stood up, and let go of Trevor's hand. Quietly she made her way down the bleachers and joined the four girls waiting to be escorted down the hall. Trevor was tapped on the shoulder. He looked up to find a man with a gun starring at him.

"Move it." He said. Trevor licked his lips and stood up. He joined the group on the other side of the gym from Jack. Their were only three boys in this group, with only one escort. He wasn't big and burly like the other escort… but he had a big gun.

"Move." He ordered. They started forward. Trevor looked back at Jack's group, who were just leaving the gym. She didn't look back, so Trevor faced forward. The escort let the boys walk seven or eight feet ahead, his gun under one arm.

"Where do we go?" asked one boy in their group.

"Where I tell you to. Move faster." The escort snarled. Trevor licked his lips.

"I'm Noah." Came a very quiet voice. Trevor figured it was two quiet for the guard to hear, and to clear to be directed to the other boy. So the voice was directed to him.

"Trevor." He said.

"Saw you in that fight with the football team earlier today."

"I didn't fight anyone." Trevor corrected.

"Ya but somebody taught that girl to throw those moves." Noah whispered.

"I didn't teach her anything kid." Trevor said, seeing he was only a sophomore. His voice sounded deep, like a seniors, and he was growing a beard… but his height and weight and the tag around his neck said sohphmore.

"Alright… fine… but you seemed to be just fine with taking on the team."

"You got a point?"

"Ya… there's only one guard… only one gun… and three of us." Noah said. Trevor let his eyes flare a moment before looking at Noah.

"Forget it." He whispered harshly, "what you going to do, knock him out, take his gun and then what? You can't leave… the school will blow. You can't hide… THEY have the security cameras. If you try they'll hunt you down and tan your hide for good." Trevor said. Noah was quiet, a little stunned.

"Wow… I take it you've been through this in your head once or twice then huh?"

"Stop beating your gums!" the guard hissed when Noah got a little louder, "This room here, get in." Noah opened the door, and the boys filed in. It was an empty history room, with only three adults sitting in the empty desks. They looked up as the boys filed in. The escort shoved the last boy, knocking him off his feet. Trevor caught him by the jacket , and gave him his balance back.

"Now… you know we can't lock you in here… it locks from the inside… so we're wiring the door outside. If it feels so much as a tremor, you have five seconds to take cover… and then one second to recover and hold your breath before the gas lets loose. Understood?" They nodded. The guard shut the door, and they heard scuffling and rattling noices outside as the guard boobytrapped the door.

"Thanks." The boy said, looking at Trevor. Trevor nodded.

"You kids alright?" the teacher known as Mr. Wilks asked, "Has anyone gotten hurt?"

"We're fine. I think their was some kind of trouble down in the girl's hallway a little while ago… but I don't know."

"Did they say what they wanted?" another man asked. He was wearing a suit, and Trevor didn't recognize him to be a teacher from their school. His skin was leathery and he had small sunken in eyes.

"No." Noah said, "Only that it will all go well if we do exactly what they say and I'll be over by morning." Suddenly the man in the suit flinched.

"He said that? Are you sure?" he asked.

"Ya… why?" Noah asked.

"I'm, just trying to fit the pieces together in my head." The man said, "What's your name boy?"

"Noah."

"Call me Doctor." The man said.

"Ok… Doctor…"

"Now, did anyone say anything of plans… or anything important?" the Doctor asked.

"No…" Noah started.

"Um… I caught a couple of them planning on how to move the merchandise down the hundreds hall." Said the other boy.

"What's your name?"

"Randy."

"Randy… did they say what exactly this merchandise was?" the Doctor asked. Randy thought on it. Trevor just watched the Doctor's every move. Something began to make frightful sense in his head… but it was to harsh… to brutal to accept, and Trevor thought he was just over reacting.

"Um… some kind of explosives I think. Are they after money?" Randy asked.

"No… we think they are after something money cannot buy."

"Will the police give it to them?" Noah asked.

"I don't suppose the police will even have access to whatever they want." The doctor said.

"They why are they here? DO they know the police don't have it?" Randy asked.

"I would think so." The doctor said.

"They why over run a school?" Noah chimed in, "Why go through all this and risk getting caught in the end?" The doctor hesitated, suddenly biting his tongue and not saying anything.

"Because they have a plan to NOT get caught…" Trevor said. They looked at him.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked, starring hard at Trevor. Trevor didn't miss a beat and surprised the Doctor with a firm and unfaltering glare of his one. He didn't answer the doctors question.

"His name is Trevor." Mr. Wilks said, "He lost his family in the Outbreak."

"Well Trevor… you suppose you know their plan of escape?" the man asked. Trevor's eyes flared, unwillingly, but something about this guy really pushed Trevor to the edge.

"I have a guess… I have a guess that you know more then you are letting on. I have a guess you know why and where those explosives are in those halls. You know their plan."

Trevor said nothing, and neither did the doctor. They continued to glare at each other.

"Is that right Doctor? Or should I say agent. You're no doctor." Trevor said. The man's eyes flared a moment, but then eased, and he relaxed in his chair. He folded his hand neatly on the desk in front of him.

"My boy, how did you come to that conclusion?"

"Even the infected can sense authority. Don't think of me as a dump kid, idiot. I'm not one of those people you can look down to. Your shoes your clothes… the way these teachers are around you… your some agent from the company that knew. You knew this was coming." Trevor said getting angry.

"You are smart indeed."

"Why didn't you stop it? Why didn't you prevent it from happening?" Trevor demanded.

"We couldn't." the doctor said.

"Couldn't? Or wouldn't?" Trevor asked.

"Trevor, now…" Started the other teacher. Trevor sent a glare his way and he fell silent.

"You wouldn't." Trevor stated for the doctor.

"My boy… you don't know the situation… you don't understand the circumstances."

"No.. not then… but I do now. Tell me… what is their plan?" Trevor demanded. The man frowned and suddenly stood up.

"You said yourself I am in authority… I do not have to answer to an issuant punk." Trevor licked his lips. Noah saw the look in Trevors eye… the same one he saw on the field with the football players. Noah tapped Randy on the shoulder, and motioned him to step back.

"I said I knew you were in some kind of authority… I didn't say MY authority. _I _don't answer to scum who put people's LIVES in danger." Trevor said darkly.

"Excuse me?" The man hissed, "did I hear the word _SCUM_ come out of your mouth in addressing me? Boy, you have no idea who you are dealing with. You don't know the situation at all."

"Ditto, idiot. I come from a time where their were only two kinds of people: those who killed and those who survived. And I'm not a fan of those who killed. Now tell me… what is their plan?"

"I cannot believe the demands coming from this child." The doctor said to the teachers, 'What kind of school do you run here?!" He turned back to Trevor, "What makes you think I'll just answer you? It's called national security… meaning a boy like you will never know."

"It had better be worth your life." Trevor said darkly.

"What's that suppose to…" the doctor stopped in mid sentence, suddenly starring at the black barrel of a pistol. Trevor held the weapon expertly and without shaking. The doctor hesitated, his eyes flaring up in anger at the danger this simple boy was putting him in.

"Do you even know how to use that?" the Doctor asked. Trevor said nothing, figuring he would find out soon enough. Mr. Wilks cleared his throat and tugged on the Doctors throat.

"I know I said this already… but… this school teaches all the minor survivors of the outbreak… everyone here probably knows how to use a gun." The doctor licked his lips, and looked at Trevor with a new spark in his eye.

"You're not going to kill me boy." The doctor said. Trevor's eyes flared, and it made the Doctor suddenly rethink. Trevor's next words actually made the Doctors knees shake a little.

"Not every bullet kills, Doctor."


	7. No Ordinary Kids

A few minutes later…

"What they're going to BLOW the hallways?" Randy exasperated.

"No… they are going to blow one room at a time… each time killing five girls." The doctor explained. "Are you happy? You got your answers. Now lower your weapon." Trevor lowered the weapon he had been holding steadily the entire time. The doctor was unsure how he felt about a boy handling a gun that well,.

"Where did you get that gun anyway?" Mr. Wilkes asked.

"Off of one of the escorts." Trevor answered darkly, "I don't like being pushed… and it just kinda happened."

"I though you said something about 'not trying anything." Noah said.

"I wasn't… it was a precaution." Trevor said, tucking the gun away. He turned to the doctor, "So you don't know what they're after, but it's got something to do with this particular school, and they are going to blow a room every five hours if they don't get what they want, to show the outside world they are serious." The doctor nodded, "SO where the other agent?" The doctor blinked.

"How do you know there's another agent?"

"Working with terrorists… a man with your kinda wits… and a school… they aren't going to send one man in… there's more. How many?"

"One… she's over in the girl's hallway." The doctor said, "we were close to finding what they wanted when they barged in."

"Close?" Randy asked.

"Yes. I found something that might help us out… but it's in their code and I can't read it."

"But your partner can." Noah said. The doctor nodded.

"Trevor…" the doctor said, now using his name instead of 'boy', "Why suddenly so hostile? Why pull a gun?"

"I have family in that hall." Trevor said.

"I thought they died in the outbreak." The Doctor said. Trevor turned his back.

"They did." He said, "She's my new family."

"I'm… I'm sorry." Wilkes said, "Trevor really. I know it must be hard to loose family… but to loose them twice…" Randy and Noah exchanged looks and looked at Trevor. His back was turned his face hidden. This kid had gone through a lot in the outbreak. Noah didn't see how Trevor made it this far… and only to find his only family was going to be killed? He didn't understand how Trevor was STANDING. He would have been crying and on his knees. The human body can only take so much tragedy.

"I'm sorry as well." The doctor said, "We did try to stop them… through paper work." Trevor said nothing. He was trying hard to keep his mind blank… to not think about it, "but certain obstacles and certain people had different priorities, and new elements were added… I really am sorry for you loss." Trevor lifted his head… and turned around. His eyes were dark.

"She's not dead yet you know." His snapped.

"What I don't understand is why you didn't stop them if you knew their plan." Randy spoke up, "What kinda people are you? You know how many people are going to die because of you?"

"we needed to know what it is they want. I was ordered to find out before they moved if I could… but I couldn't."

"So if you find out what they want… can you end this? Before anyone gets hurt?" Noah asked.

"I was trying to do just that. See here?" the doctor pulled out a piece of paper from his shoe, and unfolded it, "It's their code. Abby… my partner knows how to decipher it. But I was caught… along with her before I could get to her. Until we could find what they wanted… we were ordered to let things proceed."

"Ordered to allow murder." Noah said, "It's sick." The doctor sighed.

"It's inhuman." Randy said darkly.

"You do not understand. Which is understandable." The doctor said.

"Doctor… if I may." Spoke the third teacher, finally joining the conversation, "These boys DO understand. They understand how precious a single life is. Randy came from a rough patch near Texas… and Noah is part of a small group who volunteered to help purify some of the states. Trevor I'm sure has his own story… but all of them put their lives on the line to save a life… even if it was just ONE life, to them even one life meant survival, it meant there was still hope. And guarding hope is human instinct… it's natural. One life… one person was the most presious thing out there for them. And you are simply ripping it from their hands and burning it, treating it like trash. You are burning the only hope these kids survived on. To me… that's inhuman… to them it's murder. Whether your identical to the infected or a murderer is up to you. But there is no third choice." The doctor was silent, pondering on the teachers words. It made sense. It did. The doctor himself had been one of the many adults throughout the U.S who started the New Haven. He had forgotten what it was like back then in the outbreak.

"Why do you think… that the adults move on so much more easily then the minors?" The doctor posed. The teacher who had spoken, answered this question as well.

"…because the children here were still developing in the outbreak. They were still growing and learning. They grew up in a different environment… and that is what they live with. Adults had a taste of normal living, had a taste of what it was like to not worry about life. We have the outbreak in our lives as a difficult obstacle, but not impossible to get over. These kids… wether they like it or not it's all they had to build off of. Everything they learned out there, are their building blocks… their base of life."

"Is that why most adults seem so …. NOT paranoid?" Noah asked. The teacher nodded.

"So are you a psychology teacher or something?"

"No… I'm the school's counselor." He said.

"…counselor? For the kids? Good. I'm sure some of them need it after the outbreak."

"No… I'm here to counsel the adults… how to deal with the kids. Your not the first to have a gun pulled on him." The teacher said.

"And who are you?"

"My name is Ethan." The man said, "Just Ethan."

"Now… just to get this straight… Randy. You came from a rough patch?" the doctor asked. Randy nodded, "And your… loss?"

"My best friend and my dad." Randy said slowly, pulling a desk around and taking a seat.

"Where in Texas did you say?"

"The north boarder."

"Ah… and Noah… after finding safe haven, you VOLENTEERED to go back out?" The doctor asked. Noah licked his lips, his eyes clouding over.

"Ya. Someone's got to do the dirty work… other wise we'd HAVE no safe haven. I wanted to play my part in making our future a safer one."

"And… your loss during out outbreak?"

"One cousin and my aunt." Noah said, "So far that all I know about."

"And Trevor? Where did you come from in the outbreak?" Every looked at Trevor… a little curious to the answer. Trevor turned his head and looked at them, then at the doctor. For a moment, he was silent. Then he turned his back and spoke.

"A rough patch." He said.

"And your loss?" the doctor asked. Trevor bit back a rude comment. It seemed to him the doctor could not get it through his thick skull that this was a touchy subject.

"Doctor, please… what is your objective in asking these questions? If you must, most kids loose from one to two, depending where they were. Rough patches seem to be a bit higher loss but why are you asking… clearly they don't respond well to these questions." Ethan asked.

"Simply trying to understand where they come from." The doctor answered, 'Trevor?"

"You know where I come from… what's the point in knowing my loss?" Trevor asked.

"It helps me understand your attitude towards life. So far I suspect you lost more than one." He said. Trevor's eyes flared a little, "More than two? Three perhaps?" Trevor said nothing, "More then three?" Trevor looked the Doctor straight in the eyes. The doctor was about to speak again, when he caught the look in Trevor's eye. It was then, the Doctor decided this boy had been through enough.

"I lost count." Trevor said almost drily, "I saw things I wish I never had. I saw plenty of people get killed. I saw people very close to me die. I saw my world fall to slavery before the infected. I saw the hope die from people's lives and went on helplessly as it died in me.i had to deal with the nightmares of that hope fading in the eyes of the people I loved as they fell sick and ill and finally went for my throat. My sister tried to kill me. My parents almost finished me off. I did what I had to, to survive. You understand me now, DOCTOR?" Trevor asked. He held his gaze with the man, keeping his sharp and burning. The doctor urged himself to look away, but a sense of blind pride made him hold Trevor's gaze. He was thankful that the silence was broken by Noah, giving him a reason to look away.

"Die? Or just fall sick?" Noah asked, "The infected don't kill, they just bite." Trevor looked away and went over to the door. He folded his arms and leaned on the wall, looking out the window by the door into the hallway.

"Not where I lived." Trevor said.

"The only place they killed in the numbers your talking of, was the New York area. No survivors were found there." Wilkes said.

"Actually…." Ethan started, "There were rumors. There still are."

"Rumors of survivors. Two of them." Randy added.

"And a dog." Trevor said, keeping his eyes on the hallway. They all looked at Trevor.

"You… you can't be…" Wilkes said, "No one was said to be able to survive that."

"I wouldn't have. If it weren't for the two people I found there. They survived there the entire time. I traveled there from Pennsylvania."

"You mean… someone actually LIVED there?" Randy asked.

"Ya…" Noah chimed in, "I remember a house we saw on our way out of the red zone… it looked like a pretty hefty set up for the normal everyday living."

"5061 Pine St… can't miss it." Trevor said.

"Who lived there? Who did you find?" it was Ethan now, joining in the questioning. Trevor said nothing again, keeping still and quiet.

"Its… it's the girl… the girl your always with isn't it?" Noah said.

"Jacklyn?" Wilkes said.

"It's Jack." Trevor corrected, his voice cracking.

"I… I don't believe it. I can't. it's not possible." Wilkes said.

"He's got the marks to prove it." Noah said, "No one messes with this kid… now I know why."

"You mean you've been bitten?" the doctor asked.

"And not infected?"

"So your immune entirely… not to just the airborne virus?"

"Look… how much time we got left until they start blowing the halls?" Trevor asked. The doctor leaned back in his seat and thought.

"I'd say two hours at most. Maybe three if they get complications from the FBI." The doctor said.

"Two hours… plenty of time." Noah said.

"Plenty? Plenty of time to do what?" Wilkes asked.

"To rouse some… complications." Randy said, "You think after surviving the Outbreak we're going to let a few guys blow our family away?"

"No. You'll get killed if your caught." The doctor said, "You'll jeopardize everything I've worked for." Randy spun on the doctor getting right in the mans face his eyes bright.

"it seems to me jeopardizing your work seems more important to you then jeopardizing LIVES." Randy snapped. The doctor eyes went wide for a moment surprised. Then he gathered himself and spoke.

"You boys are not afraid of death, I take it." The doctor said.

"Afraid of death? Heck I come near to wet pants every time it misses me." Randy said, "but the fact is death found me fighting for life… and that? That scares even death. It can look me right in the face, but I glare right back. As long as I'm alive… death hasn't found me. If death hasn't found me… I'll live life fighting for life. It comes easy when you see death pass by everyday… you see it wave at you every day."

"That's just creepy." Noah said, "I'll have nightmares of the grim reaper's face running after me now… with a cup of noodles." Randy turned around.

"Noodles?" Randy asked.

"Ya… it's the devils food I swear." Noah said.

"Doctor…" Trevor interrupted the devils menu listing and faced the doctor, "We might see that partner of yours down there…" The doctor held up his hand to stop Trevor. He stood up and pulled the note again. He handed it to Trevor.

"I think if I could trust it in anyone's hands… it'd be you boys. For seeing so much death… you seem full of a will to survive. Remember… this could very well save everyone." The doctor said. Trevor Curled his hand around the paper, and stuffed it in his sock on his left shoe.

"I would try to stop you…" Wilkes said, "but you have a gun."

"As an adult I think it's my duty to keep you kids out of harms way…" said Ethan, "But I know to much about you to know there's to big of a chance for you guys to pass up." Ethan stood up, "But… there is a problem of how to get out of this room." Noah instantly went over to the door, and looked over the wires that were hooked around the knob and stuck through to the other side.

"I got this." He said, and knelt down next to the knob.

"Hey… don't touch that!" Wilkes said. Noah scoffed.

"My dad was an electrician. I went ultimate electrician on him when I found out I could send out radio call to anyone who could hear. I charged walkie talkies… hotwired cars and security systems. I freaking tracked the infected in my area. I set up cameras from the local sheriff's office. I rewired trip wires in dark allies… I think a simple circuit won't be to hard." Noah pulled out a knife from his back pocket.

He went forward to cut the knife but stopped and them pointed the knife at the adults.

"Anyone want to say anything about having a knife at school?" he asked. No one said anything. Noah went back to work and plucked a wire with the tip of his knife.

"I think I might want to talk to the school board about how kids keep getting ahold of weapons." Wilkes muttered.

"You think if these kids can get them past terroirits that the school BOARD can do anything about it?" The doctor said.

"Alright… we'll have ten seconds after I cut this… that includes getting us out and closing the door and rewiring it so it won't go off for our friends staying in the room… ready?"

"Wait… going off?" Wilkes asked.

"Now!" Noah hissed, and split the wires.


End file.
